Volleyball player Brooke Youngquist Sweat was honored by her alma mater Florida Gulf Coast University, along with swimmer Lani Cabrera, for their inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games during an event at Alico Arena on Saturday, July 23, 2016.
J. Scott Butherus/Naples Daily News

The year following her stressful Olympics experience was quite a trip for Florida Gulf Coast University and Estero native Brooke Sweat.

After thinking she would sit out due to a lingering right shoulder problem, the veteran FIVB competitor teamed up with a 24-year-old that made the sport "fun" again, welcomed and then bid goodbye to a new coach, took on the role herself and finished the season with a killer showing in China last weekend, notching her third career medal.

The 5-foot-8 31-year-old was hampered by the testy shoulder throughout the Rio Olympics when she and playing partner Lauren Fendrick went 0-3 in pool play to finish 19th. Sweat planned on finally having shoulder surgery while her pregnant partner debated her immediate future.

But the shoulder -- still quite painful at times -- continues to show no full tears and Sweat, formerly Youngquist, decided to give the season a go. With Fendrick unsure, Summer Ross asked Sweat to join her for the Fort Lauderdale Major in February for the FIVB opener. Intrigued, Sweat jumped at the chance and the duo finished an American-high fourth and took it from there.

Last Sunday, Sweat-Ross overcame a semifinals upset by a Polish team to notch a bronze medal with a 21-18, 21-13 win against the top seeds, Wang Fan and Xinya Xia, on their home sand.

"It was nice to bounce back," said Sweat, who is tied with Ross in the AVP rankings at No. 4, just ahead of Fendrick, who now plays with April Ross (no relation to Summer). "It's tough playing China in China, but we were pretty solid. It's a fun atmosphere to play in and I love the Chinese girls. They are the sweetest girls and it's always fun playing them.

A Canterbury School grad and former FGCU Division II All-American, Sweat -- who tweeted hearty congratulations to FGCU junior Amanda Carroll for breaking her program kills record this season -- has really enjoyed the pairing with Ross.

"We've become really good friends on and off the court," said Sweat, who lives and trains in Redondo Beach, California, during seasons and began playing professionally after graduating from FGCU in 2008. "It's something I needed this year.

"Me and Lauren, we were just straight business. Our focus was on the Olympics. We didn't have a lot of fun and laughter. So this was a good year to put all of that behind me and have fun again."

Teaming up with 24-year-old Summer Ross has not only been effective, but also "fun" for Brooke Sweat, 31.(Photo: Source FIVB)

Sweat said it's also cool being around someone quite younger.

"And Summer is one of the most amazing people on earth," Sweat said. "She's so unique and so light-hearted. It made this season fun. Just really enjoyable.

"There's no one like her. She's humble, but she is such a firecracker and she can make everyone in the room laugh without trying. She's such a free spirit. I love her."

Sweat is reserved during matches, but Ross is even more so, something the older player appreciates.

"So I don't have to deal with the emotions being too crazy for her," Sweat said.

Fendrick is 6-1. Ross is listed at 6-2, but Sweat said she's closer to 6-3.

"She can set, which is kind of unfamiliar in the women's game," Sweat said. "She's a tremendous setter. She knows the game and is a smart player. She has power. When she wants to hit, she can, and her shots are really good. She has probably some of the best ball control for a tall girl."

Sweat-Ross hired AVP tour player Ty Tamblie to coach them. It was his first try at that and it didn't really work out, so they parted ways in July.

"There's no hard feelings," Sweat said. "He's a great person and was a great coach for us in the beginning. But he was still wanting to play, and as much time as we demand from our coaches, it was hard for him to play and coach us. It was just easier and better for both parties to go our separate ways."

So for the first time in her life, Sweat had no coach. And being eight years older than Ross, she mostly guided the pair that took silver in Moscow in June, Sweat's first medal since 2013.

"It was kind of weird," Sweat said. "But I knew what we were doing and I knew our competition, so I came up with the game plans. We did pretty good with no coach, but there is a fine line of I don't want to be too much of a coach and a player, too. So I had to be careful with that."

Sweat and Ross are currently shopping for a new coach.

"We're excited to get a coach who he can add things we don't see as players," Sweat said.

Sweat is back in Estero, where she maintains a home with husband Nick. She's taking a good, long break from volleyball and will get back to work in December for the season that starts earlier than usual -- in early January.

That's as committed as Sweat is concerning her future and pairing with Ross.

"We are going to at least start the season together," Sweat said. "As long as we are playing the way we did this year and improving a little bit, we'll probably stick it out."

But Sweat gets terribly homesick and is unsure about how much longer she wants to do this. She's also unsure whether she wants to give the 2020 Olympics a shot if she has a chance at it.

"I am not thinking about another run at the Olympics," Sweat said. "It is one of the most stressful things ever, and I don't even want to start thinking about it. If for some reason I am in the position in 2019 where I can make the Olympics, I'll make a decision then.

"Maybe it would be different this time if I wasn't injured. I have no idea. We'll just have to see how it goes."